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Peace, Love, and Happiness

Future Tony Winner

Things are looking up :)

Hey guys just a quickie update
My show opens in less than a week and I'm SO excited! I secretly love tech/dress rehearsal week, I feel like that's when the best memories are made. :)
I'm replacing some songs in my audition book-out with the old in with the new. I'm getting ready for some big auditions after my show is over, I'll be sure to write about them all and the successes that will come. :)
On a different note, who's ready for warm weather? Uh Me!

Peace, Love, and Happiness

Future Tony Winner


Don't forget to follow me on twitter! @leahbway13

Update

About a month until my show opens! Busy, busy, busy with rehearsals!

I spoke on RundgrenRadio on March 2nd about my experience performing in the tour! It was my first radio interview! Way cool. :)

I visited my best friend last weekend! I flew out to California to surprise her for her 17th Birthday! We hadn't seen each other in person since we met at a workshop in the City four years ago!

That's all for now! Don't forget to follow me on twitter! @leahbway13

Gleekin' Out

I only asked for one thing this past Christmas. I must have been awfully good in 2010.

Back in January I attended a Glee masterclass! We were taught choreography by the lovely Lisa Stevens to "4 minutes", did Q&A with Jonathan Groff (he picked names out of a hat to sing for him. Unfortunatley I wasn't one of them!), and Q&A and a mock Glee audition with feedback from Jillian Cimini from Jim Carnahan Casting! Great day spent with the great people of Broadway Artists Alliance!

Peace, Love, and Happiness

Future Tony Winner

Hallelujah

Four years.
6th grade.
7th grade.
8th grade.
9th grade.
10th grade.
I FINALLY got my braces off in February!
Can you say "headshot perfect smile"?

"Welcome to a new kind of Tension"

So...I saw American Idiot on Broadway almost TWO months ago! Can you say slacker?

I was up in the city for a masterclass and really wasn't sure what show I wanted to see. So off I go to TKTS and end up getting a great deal for American Idiot, which I did want to see at some point in my life. Now it's closing on April 24th! Good thing I already saw it! But have no fear if you can't make it to New York in time! A national tour is beginning in Fall of 2011. :)

Brief info on the show (thanks wikipedia!)

American Idiot is a one-act, through-sung stage musical. The show is an adaptation of punk rock band Green Day's concept album of the same name. Additional Green Day songs were interpolated from other sources, including 21st Century Breakdown, American Idiot b-sides, and an unreleased song called "When It's Time". The book is by Green Day's lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong and the production is directed by Michael Mayer. The music is by Green Day and the lyrics are by Armstrong.[1]

The story, expanded from that of the concept album, centers on Johnny, a disaffected youth who flees stifling suburbia and his parents' restrictions to look for meaning in his life, and to try out the freedom and excitement of the city. One of his friends stays home to work out his relationship with his pregnant girlfriend. Another friend serves in Iraq. Johnny finds a part of himself that he grows to dislike, has a relationship and experiences lost love.

The show opened to mixed to positive reviews from critics, but got an all-important rave review from The New York Times. American Idiot won two 2010 Tony Awards: Best Scenic Design of a Musical for Christine Jones, and Best Lighting Design of a Musical for Kevin Adams. It also received a nomination for Best Musical.On February 13, 2011, it won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album.

I know I say this ALL the time, but this FO' REALZ is my new favorite show. I'd love to see it again. It's a different kind of Broadway experience for the audience. It's the perfect mix of a concert and a musical. The technical stuff in this show is so beast and all the performers were incredible, particularly John Gallagher Jr.!

Be warned that this is most definitely not a show to take young children to. There is a lot of cursing, sexual scenes, and many of the themes of this show are for a mature audience. Some of the themes could perhaps be taken offensively if you have certain political views. This isn't a show for everyone.
BUT I LOVED IT!

Peace, Love, and Happiness
Future Tony Winner

Yep. I spent my Tuesday night watching TV. No shame.

Just a quick note about The Kennedy Center Honors (which aired yesterday at 9pm on CBS.)

I hope to one day be in a Jerry Herman show on Broadway.
I hope to one day be choreographed by Bill T. Jones.
I hope to one day be belting out a Paul McCartney tune in front of thousands.
I hope to one day be talking to Oprah Winfrey about it all.
And ya know, maybe after all that is over I'll have a big party and jam out to some music by Merle Haggard.

All the tributes were pretty darn entertaining.

So congrats to the honorees. Hard work pays off and they definitely deserve more time in the spot light, a medal, and their name to be forever engraved at The Kennedy Center.

By the way, the Tony awards aren't the only thing I want.

Peace, Love, and Happiness

Future Tony Winner/Kennedy Center Honoree :)

"You'll be in my heart"

Not too long ago, I had a great academic teacher pass away suddenly. He will always be one of my favorite teachers and one of the best I have ever had. Of course I cried Niagra Falls the first week. It was really tough. Then we (all school choirs combined) sang at his memorial service which was by far the toughest performance I have ever had to get through.
I miss him a lot. He always had confidence in me and knew I was going far places.
That was one of the last things I remember him saying to my class, how he knew all of us could really go somewhere with our talent. Well that, and which performance he should come to so he would get to see me instead of the person I was double cast with (a performance that I know he had the best seat in the house if you know what I mean.)
I think about his passing probably everyday. I still don't think I have come to the full realization that he is no longer with us. I just expect to walk into class and he will be standing behind the podium where the computer is, or see him in the audience. I think about things I can't wait to tell him, and then realize that he already knows. A man gone before his time, but enjoyed life so much that he had plenty of experiences. I know I will make him very proud one day.
Anyway the reason for this random post is I've been searching for the sheet music to the song "Stumble" sung by Natasha Bedingfield. I was looking at other songs that were available and I came across this one that had me bursting into tears all over again thinking about that great man that will always be missed and never forgotten. I'm sure everyone can realate to this song. Here are the lyrics to "Still Here" sung by Natasha Bedingfield.

Peace, Love, and Happiness

Future Tony Winner

"You looked at me and saw what I never could see
You made me feel more than I thought I could ever be
And when I needed a friend you were always there to lift me up
To make me strong
You're not gone
You're still here
With me all the time
You're still here
When I close my eyes
I still see you
I still feel you
And we'll never be apart
You're still here
Still here in my heart
In my heart
Because of you I knew how it felt to be loved
You made me feel beautiful 'cause you believed I was
And I will never forget how you touched my life
You made me feel like I belong
You live on
You're still here
With me all the time
You're still here
When I close my eyes
I still see you
I still feel you
And we'll never be apart
You're still here
Still here in my heart
In my heart
All my life
You'll be in my life
You'll be part of me
I'll just think of you and you'll still be
You'll still be here
Still here
You're with me all the time
You'll still be here
Still here
When I close my eyes
I still see you
I still feel you
And we'll never be apart
You're still here in my heart
You're still...
I still feel you
And we'll never be apart
You're still here in my heart
In my heart
In my heart
In my heart
Still here"

Two Singular Sensations

Photo credit broadway.com

Well...I had callbacks about two weeks ago for Phantom of the Opera. As soon as I found out I asked the musical director questions I had (like singing with an accent or not). I was given a cut of the song "Angel of Music" and had to memorize it. Thank goodness I know how to play piano. Even though I'm not great, it helps to just bang out notes so I get them stuck in my head. So tip of the day ladies and gentleman; Learn the basics of piano. Know your key signatures, know hand positions, and be able to identify notes enough to play.I sang the song for the director while the music director played piano for me. Just like any other audition.
Except it was even more nerve racking. I knew I was SO close. There were only two girls up for the same role as me.
One of them was my bff.
Yeah. That kinda sucks. Of course I want her to get the role she wants, but I want it too. I was feeling a little selfish sometimes when I would think about how much I want the role and how hard I was going to work to be the one to get it. We had a sleepover a few days before the callback and had a really long talk about it. We admitted that even though we would be happy if the other person got the role, deep down we both would be a little jealous. But we promised nothing was going to get in the way of our friendship. We even promised we would walk up to the cast list together.
Well...the next Monday came. The cast list was posted. Everyone ran over to it but me. I went to find my friend. We walked up together. I put my finger on the cast list scanning for Meg Giry.
My name was there.
And right underneath it, was my friends name.
That's right. We both got the part. Double cast.
Kinda crazy right? We both have been double cast before and aren't divas about it. We both are SO happy for each other. It's way better than having the awkward "O I'm so happy for you girlie congrats!" and knowing how much it hurts them to say it.
The shows I'm not playing Meg, I'll be in the ballet company. Same story for my friend.
So yeah. I'm really excited, for both of us. Life is good. :)

Peace, Love, and Happiness

Future Tony Winner.

"God I Hope I Get It"

Hey readers. I know it has been a super long time since I have posted. Here is a short update before I get started.

*Played Marilyn Monroe at an event
*Many performances here and there with my school musical theatre ensemble
*Taped an interview for Center for Civic Education about "Democracy in Action"
*A Christmas Carol
*Taping of small performance to be shown on Christmas day at local NBC station
*Cabaret Night
*Still in rehearsals for Handels' "Messiah"
*Christmas Review coming up
*Holiday vocal concert coming up
*Making plans for the summer (workshops and such)
*Auditions for Phantom of the Opera

Wait, what was that last one? Yeah. I had an audition last week for The Phantom of the Opera. Not on Broadway (yet) I'm not old enough. But my school is one of the few to be performing it this school year. The rights were released for high schools THIS YEAR!

There was a three part audition process that lasted over three days.
Day 1-Vocal audition. I had to sing 32 bars from a more "classical sounding" musical.
Day 2-Dance audition. Group combination to "Masquerade" and 45 second variation en pointe choreographed by myself.
Day 3-Monologue audition. One minute dramatic monologue.

I auditioned for the role of Meg, which is why I had to do the pointe variation. I want this really bad. I know I say that about everything, but I truly mean it. It's not enough that I love the show, but "Angel of Music" is my favorite song in the entire show. Meg would be such a fun character and great for me to play. I have mentioned before that I still feel I am in that awkward stage where I'm either playing a role too young for me or playing a role too old for me. But Meg is perfect! I don't feel like any age difference is going to be the one thing that would have my director choose between me and someone else for the part. My personal belief is that because I'm going to actually pursue this as a career I need this part just as much as any senior. I also want a bit of a larger role in this show because it would be a nice way to say good bye to my friends that are seniors. But just being in this show will be enough to keep me happy for the next four months of my life.

Call backs will probably be posted tomorrow and I don't even know if Meg has a call back. If I don't get the part, being a part of the ballet company would be great too.

I promise to keep everyone posted. Keep your fingers crossed for me please!

Peace, Love, and Happiness,

Future Tony Winner